Soap mixer and dispenser for shower baths and the like

ABSTRACT

Soap-mixing-and-dispensing shower head in the form of a valve block having an inlet connected with a supply pipe for clear water and having an outlet having a spray-shower nozzle in communication therewith. The valve block has a soap container extending upwardly therefrom having a spray nozzle therein directed to spray water over a bar of soap in the soap container. and has a soap channel for soapy water leading from the soap container into the valve block. A slide valve is provided in the valve block and is manually movable along its axis into one position to supply clear water to the spray nozzle, and soapy water from the soap channel into the outlet and spray shower nozzle. A reduced cross-sectional area passageway in the valve provides the pressure drop between the inlet and outlet of the valve to draw soapy water from the soap channel. The valve has a diametral passageway leading therethrough positionable in alignment with said inlet and said outlet when the valve is in a second position, to effect the supply of clear water through the shower nozzle.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Vincent Vlcari 8253 W. Maple,Norrldge, Ill. 60656 [21] Appl. No. 21,117 [22] Filed Mar. 19, 1970 [45]Patented Dec. 21,1971

[54] SOAP MIXER AND DISPENSER FOR SHOWER BATHS AND THE LIKE 8 Claims, 5Drawing Figs.

[52] [1.8. CI. 239/310 [51] Int. Cl. A62c 5/02,

1305b 7/26 [50] Field olSearch "2391310 318 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,602,697 7/1952 Otto et a1 239/310 X 2,886,214 5/1959Sturman 239/310 X 3,106,345 10/1963 Wukowitz 239/310 X 3,192,950 7/1965Weese et al 239/313 X 3,202,164 8/1965 Thompson et al. 2391318 X3,231,200 1/1966 Heald ABSTRACT: Soap-mixing-and-dispensing shower headin the form of a valve-blockhaving an inlet connected with a supply pipefor clear water and having an outlet having a sprayshower nozzle incommunication therewith. The valve block has a soap container extendingupwardly therefrom having a spray nozzle therein directed to spray waterover a bar of soap in the soap container. and has a soap channel forsoapy water leading from the soap container into the valve block. Aslide valve is provided in the valve block and is manually movable alongits axis into one position to supply clear water to the spray nozzle,and soapy waterfrom the soap channel into the outlet and spray showernozzle. A reduced cross-sectional area passageway in the valve providesthe pressure drop between the inlet and outlet of the valve to drawsoapy water from the soap channel. The valve has a diametral passagewayleading therethrough positionable in alignment with said inlet and saidoutlet when the valve is in a second position, to effect the supply ofclear water through the shower nozzle.

SOAP MIXER AND msransan FOR SHOWER BATIIS AND THE LIKE SUMMARY ANDOBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In carrying out my invention I connect a valveblock to a water inlet pipe extending into the shower for universalmovement with respect to the inlet pipe and connect a spray-showernozzle or head to the valve block to extend from the valve block. Imount a container for bar soap on top of the valve block and provide aspray in the soap container for spraying water over the bar soap anddraw soapy water from the container to be discharged through the spraynozzle, under the control of a slide valve movable into position tosupply either clear or soapy water to the shower-spray nozzle.

A principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide asimplified form of shower head so arranged as to selectively supplyclear or soapy water to a shower nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient andeconomical form of soap-mixing-and-dispensing shower head, which may bedetachably mounted on the supply-pipe for the shower and includes aselectively operable valve, enabling the bather to select clear or soapywater. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved formof soap-mixing-and-dispensing valve for shower heads which may beattachable to a conventional inlet water connection for a shower toenable the bather to select clear or soapy water by the simple operationof moving a valve into one or another limited position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an attachment toreplace the conventional shower head for a shower bath and the like,arranged to enable the bather to select either clear or soapy water by asimple manual operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a soap I mixer anddispenser forming an attachment for a shower head in which clear watermay be sprayed over a cake of soap and aspirated through the spraynozzle of the shower head, or clear water free from soap may beselectively discharged through the shower head.

- A still further object of the invention is to provide asoapmixing-and-dispensing shower head selectively operable to dispensesoapy or clear water and arranged with a view toward utmost simplicityin construction and economical use of cake soap.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the following description of preferred embodimentsthereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, althoughvariations and modifications may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of ashower head constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention and connected to a water supply pipe leading into a shower,with certain parts of the-wall along which the water pipe leads brokenaway and shown in vertical section.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken through the soap containersubstantially along lines "-11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, transverse sectional view taken substantiallyalong lines III--III of FIG. 2, with the spray nozzle shown in full andthe valve in position to supply clear water to the spray shower nozzle.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view somewhat similar to FIG. 3 but showing thevalve in position to effect the supply of soapy water to the sprayshower nozzle; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the valve shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION In FIG. 1 of thedrawings, I have shown an inlet pipe for a shower, for supplying waterto the shower under the control of a valve 11 on a spout 12 for aconventional bathtub (not shown). The usual hot and cold water valvesgenerally indicated by reference numeral 13 control the supply of hot,cold or mixed water through the spout l2 and through the supply pipe 10,when the valve 11 is in position to block the supply of water throughsaid spout. The pipe 10 is connected with an elbow 15 having a pipe 16leading therefrom into the shower bath and having a conventional form ofuniversal coupling 17 on the end thereof. A pipe 18 leads from saiduniversal coupling, and is connected with a soap mixing and dispensingshower head 19 constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention. The shower head 19 and pipe 18 may be moved relativeto the pipe 18 about the universal coupling, to control the direction ofspray from the shower head in a conventional manner.

The soap mixing and dispensing shower head 19 includes a valve block 20having an inlet 21 leading thereinto and adapted to be threaded on theend of the pipe 18. The valve block 20 has an axially aligned outlet 22leading therefrom having a spray-shower nozzle or head 23 threadedtherein. The spray-shower nozzle or head 23 may be a conventional formof spray nozzle and is herein shown as being formed from a plasticmaterial threaded into the outlet 22, although it need not necessarilybe made from plastic.

The valve block 20 is shown as being generally rectangular in crosssection and has a flat top face 25 forming a mounting for a container26. As shown in the drawings, the container 26 is generally cylindricalin form and may be made from a transparent plastic material to contain acake of soap (FIG. I) to be sprayed with water by a spray nozzle 27. Adetachable cover, 28 serves to close said soap container.'The spraynozzle 27 is spaced to one side of said container and extends above abottom plate 29 of said soap container. The bottom plate 29 is shown asabutting the flat top face 25 of the valve block 20 and may beadhesively secured thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the nozzle 27 is in the form of aninverted generally cup-shaped member having a cylindrical interior walland having a portion of the outer wall formed to conform to the interiorcylindrical wall of the container 21. A spray slit 31 leads through thecylindrical wall of said spray nozzle and is spaced above the bottom ofthe bottom plate 29, in position to spray water on a cake of soapcontained within said container.

The nozzle 27 is supplied with water through a passageway 32 leadingthrough the bottom wall 29 thereof and having communication with achannel 33 in the top surface of the valve block 20 and leading inwardlyof the passageway 32 in a direction extending radially of the soapcontainer. A drilled hole or passageway 34 leads inwardly along thevalve block from the channel 32 to a generally cylindrical valve chamber35, extending along the valve block 20 at right angles to the inlet 21and outlet 22 and opening to opposite ends of said valve block. A slidevalve 36 is slidably mounted in said valve chamber, and projects beyondopposite ends thereof, to be engaged at either end of a finger of thehand to move the valve 36 into its selected operative positions.

A soap channel 37 for soapy water, leads through the bottom wall 29 ofthe container 26 and is disposed on the opposite side of said containerfrom the spray nozzle 27. The soap channel 37 has communication with anupwardly opening channel 39 extending along the top face of the valveblock 20 and closed by the bottom wall 29 of the container 26. Apassageway 40 leads from the channel 39 inwardly along the valve blockand opens to the valve chamber 35 and, is shown in FIG. 2 as being inalignment with the clear water channel 33.

The valve 36 is shown as being a generally cylindrical slide valvehaving first and second passageways 41 and 43 recesses therein and shownin transverse section as being in the fonn of sectors of a circle andopening to the wall of the valve chamber 35. The first passageway 41 hascommunication with the inlet 21 and the passageway 35 to supply water tothe channel 33 and spray 27. The second passageway 43 has communicationwith the outlet 22 and the soap channel 37 through the channel 39 andpassageway 40 to accommodate the fiow of soapy water through the outlet22 and spray nozzle 23. A passageway 44 of a relatively smallcross-sectional area affords communication with the inlet 21 andconnects the first passageway 41 to the second passageway 43, to createa Venturi effect by the pressure drop of water flowing through thevalve, to thereby aspirate soapy water from the soap channel 37, channel39 and passageway 40 into the spray nozzle 23, to

be discharged from said spray nozzle onto the body of the bather. Whenthe valve 36 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, clear water will besupplied to the spray nozzle 27 to be sprayed over a bar of soap in thecontainer 26, through the slit 31. At the same time water underpressure, flowing through the passageway 44 and opening to thepassageway 43 will positively draw soapy water from the soap channel 37to be discharged in the form of a spray through the spray shower nozzle23.

The valve 36 is also shown as having a clear water passageway 45 leadingdiametrically therethrough in direct alignment with the inlet 21 andoutlet 22, as the valve 36 is moved into position to close thepassageways 34 and 40, and to efiect the discharge of clear waterthrough the spray nozzle 23. O-rings 46, 46 are shown as recessed in thevalve body on opposite sides of the passageways 41, 43 and 45 to retainthe water to a selected of said passageways and to prevent the leakageof water from the valve block 20. The O-rings 46, 46 are of aconventional form so need not herein be shown or described in detail.

A slot 47 is recessed in the valve 36 and extends axially therealongbetween the O-rings 46, 46 and is engaged by a stop pin 48 extendinginwardly along the valve block from the bottom thereof, into the valvechamber 35 and slot 47. The slot 47 forms a stop slot and opposite endsthereof terminate in such relation relative to the first and secondpassageways 41 and 43 and the clear water passageway 45 that as thevalve 36 is moved in one direction to engage an end of theslot 47 withthe pin 48, the passageway 45 will be in axial alignment with the inlet21 and outlet 22, to discharge clear water through the spray nozzle 23.As the valve 36 is moved in an opposite direction to the oppositeextreme end of the slot 47, the first passageway 41 will be in registrywith the inlet 21, to supply clear water to the spray 27 while thesecond passageway 43 will he in registry with the outlet 22, to effectthe aspiration of soapy water from the soap channel 37 to be dischargedthrough the spray nozzle 23.

The stop pin 48 has an enlarged head 49 on its outer end, forming a knobenabling the stop pin 48 to be moved out of registry with the stop slot47 when it is desired to remove the valve 36 from the valve block 20.

In the drawings, the valve block 20, valve 36, soap container 26 andspray nozzle 23 are shown as made from a plastic material whichpreferably may be a suitable form of transparent plastic such as atransparent nylon plastic material. It should be understood, however,that the device need not be made from a transparent plastic but may bemade from any other suitable plastic material, and may be made frommetal, if desired.

[claim as my invention:

1. In a soap mixer and dispenser and in combination with a shower bathhaving a spray-shower nozzle,

a water supply pipe leading into the shower bath,

a valve block adapted to be mounted on said supply pipe and having aninlet in direct communication therewith and an outlet having directcommunication with the spray shower nozzle,

a soap container on said valve block adapted to contain bar soap, avalve in said valve block,

a spray nozzle in said soap container having a spray outlet directed topass water over the bar soap in said soap container,

a first passageway in said valve having communication with said inletand said spray nozzle in one position of said valve, to supply water toflow over soap in said soap container,

a second passageway in said valve having communication with said soapcontainer and with said outlet in said one position of said valve,

a third passageway in said valve affording direct communication betweensaid inlet and said outlet, in a second position of said valve, to passclear water through said valve and said spray-shower nozzle, and

a fourth passageway connected between said first and second passageways,to create the pressure drop to draw soapy water from said soap containerthrough said outlet.

2. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 1, wherein the valve is a slidevalve movable in an axial direction and projects beyond opposite sidesof said valve body to enable a finger of a hand to engage either end ofsaid valve and move said valve into position to register said first andsecond passageways 3. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 1,

wherein a soap channel is provided in the bottom of said soap containerand has communication with said second passageway in said valve, whensaid first passageway is in communication with said inlet and said spraynozzle, to collect soapy water to be drawn along said soap channel andthrough said outlet and shower spray head, and

wherein the fourth passageway connecting said first passageway with saidsecond passageway and positioned in alignment with said inlet and saidoutlet in one position of said valve is a reduced area passageway tocreate a Venturi effect to draw soapy water along said soap channel fromsaid container.

4. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 3,

wherein the soap channel leads along the bottom of said soap containeron the opposite side of said soap container from said spray nozzle. andthe first and second passageways in said valve block are diametricallyopposed.

5. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 4,

wherein stop means are provided to limit movement of said valve blockinto one position to afford communication between said inlet and saidspray nozzle, and between said soap channel and said outlet, and into asecond position to afford direct communication from said inlet throughsaid outlet and the spray-shower nozzle.

6. A soap mixer and dispenser for shower baths comprising,

a valve block having an inlet adapted to be connected to a water supplypipe, and

an outlet axially aligned with said inlet,

a spray-shower nozzle in communication with said outlet,

a soap container mounted on said valve block and extending upwardlytherefrom,

a cylindrical valve chamber leading along said valve block transverselyof said inlet and outlet passageways and having communication therewith,

a slide valve slidably mounted in said valve chamber for movement alongthe axis of said valve chamber,

a first passageway in said valve in the form of a sector havingcommunication with said inlet and said soap container and opening to thewall of said valve chamber,

a second passageway in said valve in the form of a sector havingcommunication with said soap container and said outlet and opening tothe wall of said valve chamber,

a reduced crosssectional area passageway in said valve block inalignment with said inlet and said outlet and connecting said first andsecond passageways to supply pressure to aspirate soap from saidcontainer through said outlet and spray-shower nozzle.

7. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 6,

wherein O-rings are carried by said valve on opposite sides of saidfirst and second passageways and said diametrical passageway,

wherein the soap container is adapted to contain bar soap and a spraynozzle is provided in said soap container and supplied with water underpressure from said first passageway to spray water over the soap in saidcontainer, and

wherein a stop is provided to limit movement of said valve in onedirection to register said first and second passageways with said inletand said outlet, to effect the supply of soapy water through thespray-shower nozzle and to limit movement of said valve in an oppositedirection to directly connect said inlet with said outlet and supplyclear water through said shower-spray nozzle.

* i t i lOlOlS 0392

1. In a soap mixer and dispenser and in combination with a shower bathhaving a spray-shower nozzle, a water supply pipe leading into theshower bath, a valve block adapted to be mounted on said supply pipe andhaving an inlet in direct communication therewith and an outlet havingdirect communication with the spray shower nozzle, a soap container onsaid valve block adapted to contain bar soap, a valve in said valveblock, a spray nozzle in said soap container having a spray outletdirected to pass water over the bar soap in said soap container, a firstpassageway in said valve having communication with said inlet and saidspray nozzle in one position of said valve, to supply water to flow oversoap in said soap container, a second passageway in said valve havingcommunication with said soap container and with said outlet in said oneposition of said valve, a third passageway in said valve affordingdirect communication between said inlet and said outlet, in a secondposition of said valve, to pass clear water through said valve and saidspray-shower nozzle, and a fourth passageway connected between saidfirst and second passageways, to create the pressure drop to draw soapywater from said soap container through said outlet.
 2. The soap mixerand dispenser of claim 1, wherein the valve is a slide valve movable inan axial direction and projects beyond opposite sides of said valve bodyto enable a finger of a hand to engage either end of said valve and movesaid valve into position to register said first and second passageways3. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 1, wherein a soap channel isprovided in the bottom of said soap container and has communication withsaid second passageway in said valve, when said first passageway is incommunication with said inlet and said spray nozzle, to collect soapywater to be drawn along said soap channel and through said outlet andshower spray head, and wherein the fourth passageway connecting saidfirst passageway with said second passageway and positioned in alignmentwith said inlet and said outlet in one position of said valve is areduced area passageway to create a Venturi effect to draw soapy wateralong said soap channel from said container.
 4. The soap mixer anddispenser of claim 3, wherein the soap channel leads along the bottom ofsaid soap container on the opposite side of said soap container fromsaid spray nozzle, and the first and second passageways in said valveblock are diametrically opposed.
 5. The soap mixer and dispenser ofclaim 4, wherein stop means are provided to limit movement of said valveblock into one position to afford communication between said inlet andsaid spray nozzle, and between said soap channel and said outlet, andinto a second position to afford direct communication from said inletthrough said outlet and the spray-shower nozzle.
 6. A soap mixer anddispenser for shower baths comprising, a valve block having an inletadapted to be connected to a water supply pipe, and an outlet axiallyaligned with said inlet, a spray-shower nozzle in communication withsaid outlet, a soap container mounted on said valve block and extendingupwardly therefrom, a cylindrical valve chamber leading along said valveblock transversely of said inlet and outlet passageways and havingcommunication therewith, a slide valve slidably mounted in said valvechamber for movement along the axis of said valve chamber, a firstpassageway in said valve in the form of a sector having communicationwith said inlet and said soap container and opening to the wall of saidvalve chamber, a second passageway in said valve in the form of a sectorhaving communication with said soap container and said outlet andopening to the wall of said valve chamber, a reduced cross-sectionalarea passageway in said valve block in alignment with said inlet andsaid outlet and connecting said first and second passageways to supplypressure to aspirate soap from said container through said outlet andspray-shower nozzle.
 7. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 6, whereinO-rings are carried by said valve on opposite sides of said first andsecond passageways and said diametrical passageway, wherein the soapcontainer is adapted to contain bar soap and a spray nozzle is providedin said soap container and supplied with water under pressure from saidfirst passageway to spray water over the soap in said container, andwherein a soap channel extends along the bottom of said soap containerand has fluid communication with said second passageway in the oneposition of said valve.
 8. The soap mixer and dispenser of claim 7,wherein the valve extends beyond opposite ends of said valve block andhas projecting ends adapted to be engaged by the finger of a hand tomove the valve into the two operative positions, and wherein a stop isprovided to limit movement of said valve in one direction to registersaid first and second passageways with said inlet and said outlet, toeffect the supply of soapy water through the spray-shower nozzle and tolimit movement of said valve in an opposite direction to directlyconnect said inlet with said outlet and supply clear water through saidshower-spray nozzle.